A former vicar has accused the Church of England of engaging in a conspiracy to oust him from his role, a Birmingham employment tribunal heard.

Rev Patrick Okechi, aged 46, a former clergyman at the Church of the Good Shepherd with St John, in West Bromwich, accused lawyers of colluding with senior officers of the Church to oust him from the Church of England.

Dr Okechi claimed the Bishop of Wolverhampton conspired with two solicitors, who he named, to ensure his case against the Church was not heard in court.

Dr Okechi alleged the Bishop colluded with the lawyers to mislead him and make him miss the deadline to present his case before a judge.

He later took back the claims against the pair and Employment Judge Peter Gilroy directed him to make it clear in writing who exactly the claims were against.

Dr Okechi is seeking reinstatement, compensation, holiday pay and notice pay and claims he was unfairly dismissed from his job.

In December, a tribunal barred him from holding the office of a priest for 10 years after he was found guilty of having an extra-marital affair.

He was alleged to have taken his mistress to funerals, shopping for church candles and even for a drink of wine in the vestry.

Dr Okechi, who has three children with his wife, who is a nurse, has always denied the affair.

Last month, the disgraced vicar was ordered to vacate the vicarage of his former parish after a Judge at Birmingham County Court found his right to remain at the property ended when he was sacked.

They keys are expected to be officially handed over today.

Dr Okechi told the tribunal his family were now homeless, despite looking at more than 60 properties through a housing association, and that they relied on his wife’s wages to survive.

In a statement read in court, Dr Okechi said: “I strongly believe there was a collaboration between the parishioners and the Church warden against me and my family.”

He added that the Diocese of Worcester “insisted on providing me with their own solicitors, who I feel misled me.”

Judge Gilroy, adjourned the case in order for Dr Okechi to put his allegations in writing.

And in an extraordinary turn of events, Dr Okechi accused Judge Gilroy of “letting the Church off the hook”, although he later took back his comment and said the judge had not acted inappropriately.

Dr Okechi, who is currently claiming Jobseekers Allowance, was ordered to pay £2,500 costs to the respondent’s solicitors.

Judge Gilroy said: “Let us not beat about the bush. This is an allegation of conspiracy. You say the respondent was deliberately plotting to mislead you. This is an extremely serious allegation. The people alleged to have done this must be made aware so they can deal with this and defend themselves.”

The Diocese of Lichfield argues that Dr Okechi made his claim for reinstatement outside the allowed time limit and was not officially a “worker” but was simply “exercising his Holy Orders.”

The post of Vicar of the Church of Good Shepherd with St John and Chaplain to Sandwell College remains vacant.